Bodily fluid collection devices and related methods

Abstract

Devices and methods for withdrawing bodily fluid from a subject are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a handheld device can include a housing having an opening, a skin-piercing assembly, and an actuator coupled to the skin-piercing assembly. The skin-piercing assembly can include a casing, a drive member pivotably mounted within the casing and carrying a blade, and a biasing member coupling the drive member to the casing. The actuator can be movable relative to the housing from a first position to a second position. In the first position, the drive member can engage the casing to maintain the biasing member in a biased configuration. Movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position can disengage the drive member from the casing to permit the biasing member to drive the blade at least partially through and/or across the opening in the base.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A device for withdrawing bodily fluid from a subject, the device comprising:
 a housing including a base configured to be positioned against skin of the subject and a release member fixedly coupled to and extending from the base, wherein the base has an opening extending therethrough;   a skin-piercing assembly positioned at least partially within the housing, wherein the skin-piercing assembly includes—
 a trigger portion and a blade holder portion; 
 a drive member pivotably coupled to the blade holder portion; 
 a blade carried by the drive member; and 
 a biasing member operably coupled to the drive member; and 
   an actuator operably coupled to the skin-piercing assembly and movable from a first position to a second position relative to the housing, wherein—
 in the first position, the drive member is configured to engage the trigger portion to maintain the biasing member in a biased configuration, and 
 movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position is configured to engage the trigger portion with the release member to disengage the trigger portion from the drive member to permit the biasing member to drive the blade at least partially through the opening in the base. 
   
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 21  wherein the trigger portion and the blade holder portion are integrally formed. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 21  wherein the housing defines a lumen, and wherein the release member extends upward from the base into the lumen. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 21  wherein the trigger portion includes a first end portion fixedly coupled to the blade holder portion and a second portion configured to flex relative to the blade holder portion. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 21  wherein the biasing member is a torsion spring. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 21  wherein the actuator is fixedly coupled to the actuator. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 21  wherein the release member extends upward along a longitudinal axis of the housing, and wherein the actuator is movable in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis to the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         28 . A device for withdrawing bodily fluid from a subject, the device comprising:
 a housing including a base having an opening extending therethrough, wherein the base is configured to be positioned adjacent skin of the subject; and   a skin-piercing assembly positioned at least partially within the housing, wherein the skin-piercing assembly includes—
 a casing having a lower surface; and 
 a blade configured to move relative to the lower surface; and 
   an actuator operably coupled to the skin-piercing assembly and movable relative to the housing, wherein—
 the actuator is movable to a first position to drive the lower surface of the casing at least partially through the opening in the base and into contact with the skin; and 
 the actuator is movable to a second position to permit the blade to move along a path through the skin and relative to the lower surface of the casing. 
   
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 28  wherein at least a portion of the lower surface of the casing has a curved shape. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 28  wherein at least a portion of the lower surface of the casing has a shape that matches the path of the blade such that the blade extends through the skin at a generally uniform depth along the path. 
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 28  wherein the casing includes a first projection, a second projection, and a gap portion between the first and second projections, and wherein the first projection, the second projection, and the gap portion define the lower surface of the casing. 
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 31  wherein the first and second projections each include a planar lower surface. 
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 31  wherein the gap portion has a curved shape. 
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 31  wherein the gap portion has a trapezoidal shape. 
     
     
         35 . A skin-piercing assembly configured to be positioned at least partially in a device for withdrawing bodily fluid from a subject, the skin-piercing assembly comprising:
 a casing including a trigger portion and a blade holder portion, wherein the trigger portion includes a first end portion fixedly coupled to the blade holder portion and a second end portion spaced apart from the blade holder portion, wherein the second end portion of the trigger portion includes a first retaining feature, and wherein the blade holder portion includes a lower surface;   a drive member pivotably coupled to the blade holder portion of the casing, wherein the drive member includes a second retaining feature;   a blade carried by the drive member; and   a biasing member operably coupled between the drive member and the casing, wherein—
 in a pre-deployed position, the second retaining feature is configured to engage the first retaining feature to maintain the biasing member in a loaded configuration; and 
 in a deployed position, the second retaining feature is configured to disengage the first retaining feature to permit the biasing member to pivot the blade at least partially past the lower surface of the blade holder portion. 
   
     
     
         36 . The skin-piercing assembly of  claim 35  wherein the trigger portion and the blade holder portion are integrally formed. 
     
     
         37 . The skin-piercing assembly of  claim 35  wherein the deployed position, the second end portion of the trigger portion is configured to flex away from the blade holder portion. 
     
     
         38 . The skin-piercing assembly of  claim 35  wherein the casing is movable along a longitudinal axis from the pre-deployed position to the deployed position. 
     
     
         39 . The skin-piercing assembly of  claim 35  wherein at least a portion of the lower surface of the casing has a curved shape. 
     
     
         40 . The skin-piercing assembly of  claim 35  wherein the biasing member is a torsion spring.